Author Topic: 50 Sport restoration  (Read 10069 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
50 Sport restoration
« on: January 30, 2014, 09:47:32 AM »
I'm more of a restoration enthusiast than a motorcycle guy, but I love a nice bike. At the end of summer I am looking for a winter restoration project and get this idea that an old classic motorcycle would be fun. I don't want to get involved with anything too crazy or expensive, so I start looking around for something different. I find this Bridgestone for sale on craigslist and it looks complete. Long story regarding the actual purchase of the bike. The short version is, I call and arrange to meet the seller at his house to buy the bike. I get there and the bike isn't there. The guy selling it owed money to another guy so he gave him this bike to hold. He tells me "we gotta go pick it up so follow me". We drive 10 miles to a house that looked condemned. Guy comes out and I am wondering why I didn't bring a firearm. They start talking and a kid shows me where the bike is. Under a tarp with 50 feet of log chain wrapped around it. I put the bike in my truck and the kid is asking me for the money. Being unarmed, I gently advised him I was buying the bike from the seller and would pay him. If he owed money to the homeowner, they can figure that out for themselves. I paid the seller and left VERY quickly. From what I overheard regarding the debt, the seller fell through this guys pool cover at a party and destroyed it. He wanted a new pool cover but got a 1965 Bridgestone 50 Sport instead. What a day that was.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2014, 10:04:16 AM »
Here is a pic. I stripped it down but decided I didn't want to spend the time and money on a 50 as I had a 90 sport to restore. I was going to just sell it off for parts and actually listed some stuff. Fortunately, it didn't sell and I saw a couple 50's restored that looked really cool so that reinvigorated me.

I got the frame blasted and stripped the side covers as well as all the other metal. I recently painted the frame and covers. Clear coated them and let them sit as I had other stuff going on as well. Last night I finally got around to final wet sanding the clear coat and started to buff everything out. Its coming along quite nicely. Had to acquire a new front end as one of the forks was totally collapsed. Cant rebuild the innerds of the old style forks on the 50. Repainting the fork covers to match the black paint on the rest of the bike.

Got the wheel hubs vapor blasted and they look awesome. I just put new bearings and seals in the hubs. Need to get the wheels re-chromed before I can reassemble.

Just sent the motor cases out for vapor blasting as well. Will rebuild motor once they come back.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

reed

  • Guest
  • Trade Count: (0)
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2014, 09:34:11 PM »
dcr,
Your restoration is coming on nicely, i also like the smaller Bridgestone i have some myself.
Well done sir.
Thanks.
Steve. 

Offline slawsonb

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Master Registered Bridgestone Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1398
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2014, 10:11:48 PM »
I have lots of respect for painting skills, as I have never been able to pull it off. Nice job, dcr...looking good...
...bert

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2014, 10:02:48 AM »
Painting skills?? I have probably sanded off as much as I have put on. Painting is truly trial by fire on this project. Paint - wet sand - paint - wet sand - paint - wet sand. It seems to be an endless cycle of madness. Throw in the occasional cursing and yelling, mostly by my wife over the paint smell that occasionally leaks out of the basement into the rest of the house.

I spent $13.00 on a buffing kit at the dollar store of tools, Harbor Freight. Its a 3" wheel which is great for the frame and side covers since there isn't a lot of flat surface area anyway. Its doing very well so far.

Any tips on motor reassembly? I have all new bearings and seals. Cleaned up all the internals and once the cases come back from getting vapor blasted I will assemble.

I will post more pictures as things progress.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2014, 10:26:49 AM »
Motor cases back from vapor blasting. Coming together nicely.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2014, 11:34:38 AM »
Time seems to be more rare than any Bridgestone part. Almost done with this 50 Sport restoration. Here are a few pictures of the bike in current state, which most notably, is that it is still in my basement.

Need to finish painting the tank and get the seat in a usable state.

A couple of other small things left on the bike as well. Need to find some 10mm cap (acorn) nuts to complete the rear shock install. Need a chain. Also need to map out a plan for the air filter as I have none of the parts for this yet.

At some point over the next week or so, I will take it outside and see if it starts.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

Offline RayK

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Master Registered Bridgestone Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 569
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2014, 05:38:31 PM »
Beautiful job Dan, I can't wait to see the final product.

Cheers
RayK
BS 175DT, BS 50 Sport x 1, BS 90 Mountain x 3, BS 90 Deluxe, BS 90 Sport x1, BS 60 Sport, BS 90 Trail, BS100 Sport.

Offline bsforever

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Bridgestone Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 167
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2014, 05:52:15 PM »
Looking really nice dcr...good job so far!!!   Btw, when you say paint the gas tank....you mean the black strip on the center of the tank?  bsforever

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2014, 10:17:50 PM »
Thanks Ray. I hope to get it outside in the next week or so. I'll get some better pictures then.

I had masked off the chrome and reprinted the striping but apparently I didn't clean off the area I was painting well enough. Paint job was very poor so I had to wet sand and start over. Just haven't taken the time to finish it yet.

Been splitting time on the 100 Sport I got over the winter and I just picked up a 175 DT last week. Too many Bridgestones, not enough time.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

Offline slawsonb

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Master Registered Bridgestone Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1398
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2014, 11:52:20 AM »
Definitely such a thing as not enough time, but you can never have to many Bridgestones.  ;D
Project is looking good!
...bert

Offline dcr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Expert Registered Bridgestone Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 459
Re: 50 Sport restoration
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2014, 10:49:39 AM »
Worst weekend ever !!!

Everything done but the seat. (The cover I ordered from Pit Replica came in Fridays mail) I rolled the bike out of the garage and figured I would start it up to see how it runs. Fuel in the tank, turn the petcock and I see the inline filter filling up. Turn the key and kick number 1 - nothing. Kick number 2 - no results. Kick number 3 was the money shot, but for all the wrong reasons. The kick starter made this funny "gear stripping" noise when I kicked down and it stayed down. It wont come back up, but will turn forwards until the kick starter wedges against the exhaust pipe. This is NOT what I was looking for.
1966 175 DT and 1968 350 GTR

 


Gallery


Views:220
Comments (0)
By: Jon West

Views:1362
Comments (0)
By: rwgibbon

Views:1690
Comments (0)
By: Perry L Anderson

Views:1757
Comments (0)
By: Perry L Anderson

Classifieds

Gto
Date: 03/02/2024 06:49 am
Time Left:
Looking for a BS90 used or new luggage Carrier assembly

Date: 02/01/2024 04:19 pm
Time Left:
Gto
Date: 10/19/2023 01:08 pm
Time Left:
Urgent - l/end roller bearing & piston pins needed
Date: 10/08/2023 03:25 am
Time Left:

Recent Downloads added

Chibi, Chibi Deluxe, Tora Service Manual
Rating: (None)
Filesize: 20383.27KB
Date: May 01, 2023, 08:35:39 PM
Chibi_Tora_Parts_Manual
Rating: (None)
Filesize: 14301.44KB
Date: May 01, 2023, 08:25:53 PM
BS200 Mk II RS & MK II SS Exclusive Parts
Rating: (None)
Filesize: 358.29KB
Date: March 07, 2021, 07:30:10 PM
1970 sales brochure
Rating: *****
Filesize: 6753.33KB
Date: July 16, 2020, 10:01:18 PM

Powered by EzPortal